Forgotten Classic Games That Should Have Been Genre Greats

The video game industry is full of surprises. Imagine if Sony and Nintendo had teamed up – PlayStation might look completely different today! A single release date can also change everything; a promising game once overshadowed could have become a classic, and a now-popular franchise might never have existed. It’s a reminder that even great games don’t always get the recognition they deserve.

You know, there are some games I hadn’t thought about in ages, or maybe never even tried! I’m talking about those hidden gems, the cult classics that deserve a second look. Even if you don’t own them, it’s cool to remember how good they were.

6. Speed Punks

A Kart Racer With Attitude

Everyone knows Mario Kart is the best kart racing game. But around the year 2000, the original PlayStation had some great options too. Crash Team Racing is famous for being a complete and well-developed racer – some even think it’s better than Mario Kart, especially because of its strong story mode. Around the same time, Speed Punks also came out on the PlayStation.

This often-overlooked game features a fresh cast of racing characters created specifically for it, unlike other kart racers that rely on established series. You’ll meet racers like Tempest, Monica, and Brains, who together are known as the Speed Punks. They love to compete, and have plenty of weapons at their disposal – everything from missiles and bombs to slime and a temporary stealth mode. Like most kart racers, the characters aren’t too different from those in Mario Kart, and their weight affects gameplay in a similar way. What really set Speed Punks apart was how fast it felt. Players can collect turbo tokens on the tracks to build up a boost meter, saving it for a long speed burst or using smaller boosts to pass opponents. The tracks are well-designed, colorful, and diverse, and unlocking new characters through challenging races is a real accomplishment. However, the game truly shines in its competitive multiplayer mode – as is often the case with kart racers.

5. Soul Sacrifice

A Horrifying Quest To Defeat A Dark Sorcerer

The PSP and PlayStation Vita offered fantastic hunting games, including entries in the popular Monster Hunter series and the sci-fi title Freedom Wars. Each game stood out with its own story, gameplay style, and range of weapons. But perhaps the most original of these action RPGs was Soul Sacrifice.

In this 2013 game, you play as a newly discovered magic user captured by the powerful sorcerer Magusar. He’s imprisoned you with plans to sacrifice you, and at the start, you have almost no chance of winning a fight against him. Your hope lies with Librom, a living book that guides you through the game’s missions, but is also a key part of the story. The game retells classic fairytales in a dark and twisted way – for example, the three little pigs become terrifying bosses. Instead of choosing weapons, you learn and combine magical spells. You can create a variety of loadouts, summoning elemental melee weapons, casting ranged attacks, or using helpful effects like healing and speed boosts. The most powerful techniques come at a cost – you even sacrifice parts of your body to unleash them, like an eye to perform a massive attack, which then limits your vision until reversed.

I really got into the leveling system in this game. Basically, when you beat an enemy, you can choose to sacrifice them or save them, and even take a neutral path in Soul Sacrifice Delta. It totally changes how your character grows! Sacrificing enemies makes you super powerful offensively, but it also lowers your health a lot. Saving them does the opposite – boosts your health but weakens your attack. It’s a cool risk/reward system, and it really makes you think about how you want to build your character and how confident you are in dodging attacks. Honestly, this game is just really unique and I don’t think I’ll forget it anytime soon.

4. Alien Soldier

Another Treasure From Treasure

If you love fast-paced action games and own a Sega Genesis, you’ve likely played Gunstar Heroes. It was the debut title from the talented team at Treasure, putting you in control of either Gunstar Blue or Gunstar Red on a mission to rescue their brother, Green, from the clutches of the Empire. The game features a futuristic, space-themed setting, especially towards the end, and is famous for its ability to quickly switch weapons, its imaginative boss battles, and its overall frantic energy. It’s a shame that another fantastic Treasure game, Alien Soldier, offers all the same great qualities but doesn’t get nearly as much recognition.

Epsilon-Eagle, the bird-like leader of the Scarlet organization – a group intent on wiping out humanity, as the game explains – becomes the target of an assassination. This puts Xi-Tiger in charge of Scarlet, leaving a weakened Epsilon to chase after their powerful enemy. As the player, you’ll control a character with flight and six different weapon types – Ranger, Buster, Sword, Homing, Lancer, and Flame Force – giving you both the mobility and firepower to battle bizarre aliens and robotic foes. The game features a continuous, fast-paced experience with no breaks between levels or stage selection, all presented with impressive graphics and animation.

3. Elebits

An FPS With An Adorable Difference

First-person shooters, or FPS games, aren’t usually described as ‘cute’. Games like Doom and Anger Foot are known for intense action and violence. However, Elebits, released early in the Wii’s lifespan, showed that an FPS could be lighthearted, funny, and completely avoid violence while still being enjoyable.

The idea of bringing light to a dark world is a familiar one, and the game Elebits takes that concept very directly. You play as Kai, a boy whose parents study tiny creatures called Elebits – the source of electricity in this world. After the Elebits mysteriously vanish, Kai grabs a special ‘Capture Gun’ to try and bring the power back. The gameplay involves exploring places like bedrooms, streets, and an amusement park, using motion controls to find and collect these hidden Elebits within a time limit. Each Elebit contributes to reaching a specific energy goal. They can be hidden anywhere – inside boxes, cupboards, or just about anywhere else – so you have to search thoroughly. As you collect more Elebits and energize objects like TVs and toy trains, you upgrade the Capture Gun, letting you manipulate even larger things. Things get pretty hectic later on as you frantically search for these elusive creatures. Importantly, the game’s motion controls feel natural and well-integrated, not forced.

2. Evil Genius

“I’ve Been Expecting You, Mr. Bond.”

The classic strategy game Dungeon Keeper let players take on the role of a villain, commanding monstrous armies against heroes and goodness. It was a refreshing change to play the bad guy, and the game’s creepy, dark style really fit the theme. While spooky, the game wasn’t just about horror. Another popular strategy game, Evil Genius, offered a similar experience, but swapped dark caves for stylish, high-tech underground bases more fitting for a supervillain inspired by James Bond’s enemies.

Build hallways to connect important rooms in your base, each serving a unique purpose. You’ll need a Barracks and Armory to manage and equip your minions, a Vault to store your treasures, and a Control Room to keep your staff focused and informed. From the Control Room, you can use the World Map to choose missions and assign your best team members. All this helps build your reputation as a supervillain, but gaining wealth and notoriety will also draw unwanted attention. Just like in Dune Awakening, protecting your base is just as important as growing it.

1. ChuChu Rocket!

An Adorably Chaotic Puzzler

The Dreamcast is famous for being a truly unique console, and it boasted some incredibly creative games. One standout title is ChuChu Rocket!, a charming puzzle game starring adorable space-mice called ChuChus. These little guys are chased by cat-like enemies known as KapuKapus. The gameplay involves guiding the ChuChus across a grid to reach their rocket and escape danger.

Okay, so the four-player mode is just insane in the best way! Imagine four different groups of mice all trying to escape at once – it’s total chaos. Each of us gets our own color, and we lay down arrows of that color to guide the ChuChu mice. They even throw in random rule changes, like ‘Mouse Mania’ or ‘Cat Mania,’ which keeps things super unpredictable. The single-player modes are a little different, but honestly, the fun and charm of the game are still totally there, no matter how you play!

2026-02-05 14:42